Moments: Albus and Lily
by MizJade
Summary: Three moments between the two younger Potter siblings. Edited.


**Disclaimer: **This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**AU: **For those of you that know this story from before you won't notice many changes, except a few minor tweaks and adjustments until you reach the second moment...which is a little different. Enjoy.

* * *

It was very late at night, too late for nine year-old Lily to be up. But she was. She couldn't sleep. So she did what any other nine year old would do in her position; she ran straight to her big brother, her favorite stuffed toy clutched tightly in her hands.

"Albus?" She whispered poking a mass of blankets that concealed her brother.

Albus groaned "Go away."

If Albus had been fully awake, or had his eyes open he would have seen a fierce look of determination come over his sister's face. It was a look that he had seen many times, usually just before she did something others told her she couldn't do or when she was about to hurt James for being "a horrible bully." Tonight, it simply meant that Al would not be getting any sleep.

She climbed up on to his bed and bent down so that her face was right next to his ear and said loudly -but not so loudly as to rouse her parents or James "ALBUS!"

He startled awake, bolting upright in his bed nearly dumpling her on the floor. "Jeez, Lily!" he gasped catching her arm before she toppled off the bed. "What are you doing here?"

Lily looked at him, her determined face morphing into one of great sadness as her lips started trembling "You're leaving tomorrow." Her voice was mournful and dejected.

His face softened, "It's only till Christmas Lil."

Lily responded with a glare through a wall of tears that threatened to fall at any second. "That's _ages_ away! I'm going to be all alone."

After all, it wasn't so bad when James left for school the year before. Albus and Lily had had each other. This year, both of her brothers would be going away to school and Lily would be alone.

"Lily" Albus said softly, "I'm not leaving you. I'm just going to school. Besides, you'll hardly be alone. Hugo visits almost every day."

"S'not the same." she mumbled "Hugo isn't my brother. You're my best friend." They had grown up in a very tight-knit, very large family and Albus and Lily had learned long ago that if they were to survive the fighting, pranks and drama they would have to stick together. As strange as it was, Albus definitely had to admit that his younger sister _was_ his best friend. He did feel bad for leaving her behind; wished more then anything that he could bring her with him, but this would not diminish his excitement. He was finally going to Hogwarts, after waiting so long!

Albus sighed, "I'll write you all the time." he promised.

"Three times a day!" she demanded at once "You _have _to."

He laughed and tweaked a lock her hair. "Once a day?" he asked to compromise "I have to do school work too you know."

She pouted "_Fiiiiine _but you better bring me back something special"

"Promise." Albus replied solemnly.

"One more thing" Lily said and held up her prized teddy bear "Take Mr Peters so you don't forget me."

And though he would never admit it to anyone else -especially not James- he cherished that bear until the night he returned it, right before her first day two years later.

* * *

James had never been good with crying girls. In fact, they terrified him more then anything else in the world. Though his little sister could be downright frightening when she was angry, James didn't think she was ever as scary then she was at that moment with her face buried in her pillow her body shaking with sobs.

Crying girls were always Teddy's specialty, he was so good with them; always managed to make them feel better. James just felt awkward and scared. But Teddy wasn't here, so he turned to the next best thing, "AL!" he called his turning his head to call out the door, panic making his voice squeak -just a little- "Emergency!"

It didn't take long for Albus to make his way to the room "James for the last time, losing your Quidditch jersey is _not _an emergen-" he paused to take in the scene before going to his sisters side and glaring at James "What did you do?" he demanded.

Looking quite affronted James replied "_Nothing_! I just found her like this." he looked like he wanted to bolt. "She won't stop crying! She won't tell me why!"

"Oh just go." said Albus, rolling his eyes. He hadn't taken a single step towards his sister's bed before his brother had vanished from the room. He shook his head and sat down next to the shaking form of his sister. "What happened?" he asked gently.

She cried something incoherent into her pillow her sobs getting louder.

"Didn't quite catch that."

She sniffed and turned around to face her brother with puffy red eyes a running nose and tears streaming down her face. "I don't" sniff "wanna" choke "talk about it" sob "with you" sniff.

"Does this have anything to do with Wood?" he asked, his face tightening. "Lil, come on, you know you can tell me anything."

Not anything. Not this. How could she tell her brother - her best friend, the one person who's opinion mattered more to her then any thing else - how stupid she had been. How she had foolishly let her self fall in love with someone who could never love her back.

How could she possibly tell her brother that she was in love with his boyfriend?

She couldn't, so she did the only thing she _could_ do and threw herself in his arms and let him rock her and stroke her hair and comfort her. She listened while he told her that what ever it was it would be okay, she would alright.

She almost believed him.

* * *

"Albus!" Lily shrieked from downstairs "QUICK!"

Knowing nothing good ever came when one of his siblings called for him like that Albus closed his book and walked downstairs only to be met with an odd scene.

James and Emmeline were sitting hand-in-hand on the loveseat looking nervous, terrified, and determined. Harry and Ginny sat on the couch across from them, Ginny was crying silently her hand pressed over her face. Harry's face was like stone, blank and unreadable but Albus could see a thousand emotions flicker through his eyes. Ranging from disappointment to fear to absolute love.

Lily looked as if she was about to burst with excitement.

Al took in the scene and then said to James and Emma calmly "So you told them, then?"

Lily rounded on her brothers "You _knew? He _knew! How come _he _knew and _I _didn't?" she demanded crossly looking back and forth between Albus and James.

"I guessed right" Al replied, it was mostly true after all, James never had come right out and told him, he was much to distraught.

Harry seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in and then looked at his two younger children "Lily, Al give us a minute."

"But I-"

"_Now_ Lily." Their mother's voice was stern as she used to tone all of her children knew to listen to without argument.

Pouting, Lily turned and stormed up the stairs. Albus trudged up after her and found her in his room, sulking on the bed. "I can't believe it." Lily said suddenly.

"It's a big responsibility." Albus agreed.

Frowning Lily looked at him "What?" she asked.

This time it was his turn to look confused, "The baby? Out unborn niece or nephew?" he prompted.

"No!" Lily rolled her eyes "I meant I can't believe you _knew _and didn't tell _me_!"

Somehow, Albus didn't think she would be letting this one go anytime soon.


End file.
